Spring-Clean Your Fridge and Freezer (cont.)
To prevent freezer burn, make sure that the food is tightly wrapped with freezer-quality wrap, and get as much air out between the food and the wrap.
For some guidelines on how long you can safely keep food in the refrigerator or freezer, I consulted the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Here's a chart with the times for various foods.
| |
STORAGE PERIOD |
| PRODUCT |
In Refrigerator
40 degrees Fahrenheit
(5 degrees Celsius) |
In Freezer
0 degrees F
(-18 degrees C) |
| Fresh Meat: |
|
|
| Beef: Ground |
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
| Steaks and roasts |
3-5 days |
6-12 months |
| Pork: Chops |
3-5 days |
4-6 months |
| Ground |
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
| Roasts |
3-5 days |
4-6 months |
| Cured Meats: |
|
|
| Lunch Meat |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
| Sausage |
1-2 days |
1-2 months |
| Hot dogs |
Unopened, 2 weeks
Opened, 1 week |
|
| Prepared salads (egg, tuna, etc) |
3-5 days |
Don't freeze |
| Gravy |
1-2 days |
2-3 months |
| Soups or stews |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Fish: |
|
|
Lean (such as cod,
flounder, haddock) |
1-2 days |
up to 6 months |
Fatty (such as blue, perch,
salmon) |
1-2 days |
2-3 months |
| Chicken: Whole |
1-2 days |
12 months |
| Parts |
1-2 days |
9 months |
| Giblets |
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
| Dairy products: |
|
|
Swiss, brick, processed
cheese |
3-4 weeks |
* |
| Soft cheese |
1 week |
6 months |
| Milk |
5 days |
1 month |
| Ice cream, ice milk |
- |
2-4 months |
| Butter |
1-3 months |
6-9 months |
| Buttermilk |
7-14 days |
3 months |
| Cream cheese |
2 weeks |
- |
| Cream |
3-5 days |
4 months |
| Sour cream |
7-21 days |
- |
| Yogurt |
7-10 days |
- |
| Eggs: Fresh in the shell |
3 weeks |
- |
| Hard-boiled |
1 week |
- |
| Pasteurized liquid |
3 days (opened)
10 days (unopened) |
1 year |
| Mayonnaise |
2 months |
don't freeze |
| TV dinners |
- |
3-4 months |
| Store-bought convenience meals |
1-2 days |
- |
| Cooked meat leftovers |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Pizza |
3-4 days |
1-2 months |
| Stuffing, cooked |
3-4 days |
1 month |
| Dough - tube can, cookies |
use-by date |
2 months (don't freeze tube cans) |
| * Cheese can be frozen, but freezing will
affect the texture and taste. |
| SOURCES: Food Marketing Institute for fish and dairy products, USDA for all other foods |
Originally Published Friday, April 29, 2005.
Medically updated April 17, 2008.
SOURCES: FDA. U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. The Food Keeper, the Food Marketing Institute.
©2005 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
